Safety apparatus for mining-cages, lifts, and the like.



G. H. SIVEL.

SAFETY APPARATUS FOR MINING GAGES, LIFTS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION IILED 00'1.28, 1911.

1,032,710. Patented Ju1y16,1912.

CHARLES H. SIVEL, OF WESTON, NEWARK, ENGLAND.

SAFETY APPARATU$ FOR MINING-CAGES, LIFTS, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed October 28, 1911. Serial No. 657,313.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HARRY SIvnL, a subject of King George V of Great Britain, residing at WVeston, Newark, in the county of Nottingham, England, have invented oer-- tain new and useful Improvements in Safety Apparatus for Mining-Cages, Lifts, and the Like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to safety apparatus for mining cages, lifts and the like, and has for its object to provide an improved form of such apparatus of simple and eflicient construction.

The invent-ion comprises a spring pressed shoe or member pivotally mounted upon the cage, adapted normally to be held from engagement with a frictional surface on the wall of the shaft by a catch device, which catch device is adapted to be engaged to re lease the shoe when the hauling cable breaks, by means of a member normally held inoperative by the tension of the cable. The spring which bears against the shoe to create the necessary friction is obviously of a powerful nature and for the purpose of returning the shoe to the off position after it has been in use, I provide a screwed member, adapted to be detachably secured to the shoe and provided with a nut or the like which may be operated by a person within the cage to allow of the catch device being placed in position whereupon the said screwed member may be detached and removed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention applied to a mine cage.

Figure l is a sectional elevation of a cage with the invention in the out of use position. Fig. 2 is a part similar view with the parts in use; also the retracting device in position. Fig. 3 is a detail.

In the drawing the mine shaft a is provided with friction surfaces in the form of channel bars Z) extending the full length of the shaft disposed on opposite sides thereof.

A similar safety device is provided at each side of the cage. A shoe or friction member 0 is provided at its upper end with an arm 0 which is arranged at an angle to the shoe, and the upper end of this arm is pivoted to a bracket on the side of the cage by means of a pin d. The shoe is pressed outward from the'cage by a powerful laminated spring 6.

. f is a bar pivoted to the shoe at f and projecting into the cage through the opening f therein. The bar f is provided with a nose or catch 9 adapted normally to be kept in engagement with a plate It by means of a spring 2' and the end of the arm is provided with a slotted hole j (Fig. 3).

7a is a cord connected at its upper end to the suspending ring Z and secured at its lower end to a spiral spring we said cord passing through the slotted end of the bar 7 and provided with a block or enlargement a disposed just'above the said slot.

It will be seen that with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1 the safety device is out of use and upon the hauling cable breakin g or the tension thereof being reduced the spring am will at once draw down the'cord 7c the block it strikes the bar f and releases the nose 9 from engagement with the plate h and thus allows the shoe to be pressed tightly against the frictional surface by the spring 6 and thus the descent of the cage will be stopped or checked so as not to endanger the lives of the occupants. After the apparatus has been in use as above described and the fault in the hauling mechanism or cable repaired, it is necessary to retract the shoe from engagement with the frictional surface and to effect this end I provide a screwed rod 79 having a loop at one end which may be inserted through a bush 9 in the cage and placed over a hook r on the shoe. The rod 79 is provided with a threaded nut 8 having a suitable operating handle or hand wheel 2 which nut when the hand wheel is turned fits in and bears against the bush 9 and draws in the rod, and with it the shoe. The pivoted catch arm f returns to the position. shown in Fig. l whereupon the nut s is unscrewed, the rod p disengaged from the hook on the shoe and placed in some convenient place until again required.

Having now particularly described my said invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination, with an elevator cage, a lifting device therefor, and a stationary safety-bar; of a shoe pivotally connected with the cage at one end and adapted to engage with the said bar, a spring for pressing the shoe against the said bar, a rod connected to the said shoe at one end and projecting into the cage and provided with a catch at its free end portion, a stop on the cage-which normally engages with the said catch, and spring-actuated tappetmechanism carried bythe said cage and connected cage, a leaf spring secured to the cage and operating to press the shoe against the safety-bar, a rodconnected to the shoe at one end and projecting into the cage and provided with a catch at its free end portion, a

stop on the cage which normally engages 'with the said catch, and spring-actuated tappet-mechanism carried by the said cage and connected with its lifting device, and operating to release the said catch when the cage is not suppoirtedby its lifting device.

8. The combination, with an elevator cage, a lifting device therefor, and a stationary safety-bar; of a shoe pivotally connected with the cage at one end and adapted to engage with the said bar, a spring for pressing the shoe against the said bar, a rod connected to the said shoe at one end and projecting into the cage and provided with a catch at its free end portion, a stop on the cage which normally engages with the said catch, a flexible connection having its upper end secured to the lifting device of the cage, a spring arranged between the lower end of the flexible connection and the cage and normally holding the said connection taut, and a tappet secured to the flexible connection and arranged above the free end portion of'the said rod and operating to release it from the said stop when the cage is not supported by its lifting device.

4. The combination, with an elevator cage, a lifting device therefor, a stationary safety-bar, and a spring-pressed shoe pivoted tothe cage and engaging with the said safety-bar; of a catch secured to the said shoe, a bush secured to the cage, a screwthreaded rod slidable in the said bush and detachably connected to the said catch, and v a retracting device screwed on the said rod inside the cage and bearing against the said bush and adapted to move the shoe out of engagement with the safety-bar.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence .of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. srvEL.

Witnesses:

A. \V. WINSALL, SYDNEY R. TAYLOR.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

